1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for preventing oil spillage during removal of oil filter canisters from engines, and more particularly to an oil containment device for preventing oil spillage during removal of inverted oil filter canisters from engines wherein the return oil opening in the filter canister is oriented in the downward position in opposition to the upwardly projecting oil return fitting of the filter receiving base.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various oil containment devices have been proposed to prevent oil spillage during the removal of oil filter canisters from engines. Examples of some of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,020,922; 4,867,017; 5,271,299; 5,454,960; 5,469,935; 5,598,951; 5,623,755; 5,655,624; 6,033,578; 6,056,874; 6,222,078 and 6,401,574. Most of the oil containment devices disclosed in these references are for use with engines having filter fittings located in the conventional manner at the bottom of the engine such that the opening in the filter canister is oriented in the upward position in opposition to the downwardly projecting filter fitting. Thus, in this conventional arrangement, the oil containment devices of the above cited references are disposed below the engine block such that upon removal of the oil filter, any remaining waste oil not otherwise drained out through the oil pan drain plug, drains out through the engine""s bottom mounted, downwardly oriented, filter fitting and into the oil containment device below. Of the above cited references, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,454,960; 5,623755 and 5,655,624 disclose oil containment devices for use with engines having side mounted filter fittings such that the oil return opening in the filter canister is oriented substantially horizontal in opposition to the substantially horizontal filter fitting. Similarly, however, these three references disclose that the oil containment devices are disposed below the side mounted oil filter canisters such that upon their removal, any remaining waste oil drains out through the engine""s side mounted, substantially horizontal filter fitting and into the oil containment device below.
While the oil containment devices disclosed in the above cited references may each serve their intended purpose, they are incapable of performing their intended function when the filter fitting or filter receiving base is oriented in the upward direction so as to receive an inverted filter canister with its oil return opening oriented in the downward direction (hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9cinverted oil filter canisterxe2x80x9d).
Inverted oil filter canisters operably mounted above or adjacent to the engine""s crank case have recently become prevalent in the marine or boating industry to enable greater ease of access to the oil filter from above the engine block. It should be appreciated that due to the tight confinement of marine engines within the substantially enclosed hulls of boats, it is usually exceedingly difficult to access the oil filter canister for removal and installation when it is mounted in the conventional manner near the bottom or on the side of the engine block. Thus, many boat engine manufacturers or suppliers have begun to install xe2x80x9cremote filterxe2x80x9d kits or oil filter adaptors to the engine blocks of marine engines so the oil filter canisters can be more easily accessed from above. Furthermore, for ease of accessibility, the oil filter canisters are typically inverted so that the servicing mechanic can easily grasp the top of the filter canister for threadably removing and installing the filter canister onto the upwardly oriented filter fitting or filter receiving base.
While the use of inverted oil filter canisters positioned in the engine compartment of a boat or other vehicle for access from above the engine block improves ease of access during servicing of the engine, inverting the oil filter canister such that the oil return opening is disposed downwardly inevitably results in increased oil spillage during its removal. It should be appreciated that upon removing an inverted oil filter from a filter fitting or receiving base, air enters the filter through its oil inlet ports displacing the oil contained within the canister, thereby causing the oil to flow out of the bottom oil return opening of the inverted filter canister. While some of the waste oil may flow back down into the opening in the filter fitting or receiving base, the majority of the oil will unfortunately spill out over the filter fitting or receiving base where it will drip down onto other engine components and eventually onto the floor or ground causing other engine components to become soiled and leaving stains and slipping hazards on the garage floor or ground. If the inverted filter is being used on a boat, the spilled oil will eventually pool at the bottom of the boat hull or bilge where it has to then be siphoned or wiped out with rags. It should be appreciated that if the waste oil in the bilge is not wiped out, the float activated bilge pump will discharge the waste oil overboard into the lake or river along with any water or other fluids in the bilge. This would not only negatively impact the environment, but it may also subject the boat owner to fines.
Accordingly, there is a need for an oil containment device for preventing oil spillage during removal of inverted oil filter canisters to minimize cleanup during servicing of an engine. It would be desirable to provide such a device that will not only contain the oil to prevent oil spillage, but also to direct the oil back into the engine crank case for drainage along with the rest of the waste oil, thereby eliminating the environmental concerns identified above. Such a device would also minimize disposal concerns of oil-soaked rags, increase the amount of used oil that can be captured and recycled and would minimize labor, time and expense in servicing of the engine.
The present invention is an oil containment boot to prevent oil spillage during removal of inverted oil filter canisters and method of using same. The oil containment boot is preferably comprised of a funnel shaped peripheral side wall defining an open top end and an open bottom end. The open bottom end of the boot is operably sealingly secured over the oil filter receiving base such that the peripheral side wall extends upwardly a distance above the oil filter receiving base to surround at least the lower portion of the inverted oil filter canister. Upon removal of the inverted oil filter canister from the oil filter receiving base through the open top end, any oil in the inverted oil filter canister is contained within the peripheral side wall of the boot. The waste oil contained within the boot is directed back into the opening in the filter fitting or oil filter receiving base such that the waste oil draining from the inverted oil filter can be drained along with the rest of the waste oil from the engine crank case, thereby eliminating oil spillage, minimizing cleanup, and the necessity of a separate waste oil collecting pan.
To the accomplishment of the above objectives, features and advantages, this invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific form illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.